Process of denicotinizing tobacco



Patented Dec. 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHANNES SARTIG, OF BERLIN-ZEHLENDORF, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF DENICOTINIZING TOBACCO.

No Drawing.

To all whom, a may concern Be it known that I, JOHANNES SARIIG, a citizen of Germany, residing in the city of Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany, 8 Riemeisterstrasse, have invented certain new and useful Processes of Denicotinizing Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers broadly to improvements in the denicotinization of tobacco, and it is one of the important objects of my invention to do away with expensive and complicated apparatus and methods of treatment, to remove or render innocuous the oflensive, or evil smelling constituents of the tobacco and to improve the aromatic odor thereof. In the practice of my invention and in view of the object referred to I rnake use of the otherwise known method of oxidation of the tobacco under treatment, and it is another object of my invention to overcome and eliminate the various drawbacks of this oxidation method as heretofore practised. In accordance with the previous art the denicotinizing of tobacco by oxidation may be effected by first treating the tobacco with an alkaline agent for the purpose of liberating the nicotine from its combinations with organic acids, the tobacco being then soaked and macerated in an aqueous solution of hydrogen-hyperoxid, until all the nicotine has been eliminated. In conclusion, the tobacco is rinsed in clean water. It is obvious, however, that bythis treatment part of the extractive matter contained in the tobacco is dissolved by the water, so that the tobacco is partially lixiviated and extracted by the treatment.

According to other previous methods of oxidation aqueous solutions of chemical compounds readily evolving oxygen may be employed for the oxidation of the nicotine contained in tobacco, such as permanganate of potash, permanaganate of ammonia, and the like. but it is obvious that this treatment involves likewise an extraction of considerable portions of the extractive matter. On the other hand, in accordance with two other known methods of oxidation of the nicotine contained in tobacco synthetic oxygen is used which may be mixed with atmospheric air, while according to another process ozone is employed produced by electric means.

. It is obvious, therefore, that in the execution of the processes heretofore suggested for the Application filed March 6, 1924. Serial No. 697,340.

oxidation of tobacco expensive apparatus and chemicals are necessitated which must be bought at great expense or which can only be manufactured with the help of when smoked, evolve a nauseating and acrid taste, so that the tobacco is improved and ennobled by my treatment. Broadly speaking my invention resides in exposing the tobacco for denicotinization in the open air or inan airy room having preferably as much light as possible, by being suitably stored or suspended in such a manner that the tobacco is exposed on all sides, as much as .possible to a current of fresh air and to the action of full day-light, the material, while in this position, being moistened by sprinkling with pure water, free from salts, to such an extent only that dripping does not take place. This sprinkling is preferably repeated before the complete vaporization of the previously sprinkled portions of water so many times, until the tobacco under treatment shows the desired degree of freedom from nicotine.

The rocess may, for instance, be carried out as ollows:Dry tobacco leaves are first moistened with water in the well known manner to such an extent that they allow of being easily and smoothly unfolded without tearing. The tobacco leaves having been unfolded as much as practicable are spread side by side of each other in the open air or in an airy and light room upon a suitable supporting surface, thus for instance, upon a "lawn or upon open trays or the like of any suitable material, and in such a manner as to be exposed as much as possible to the full day-light, and preferably to direct sunlight likewise. Then pure water, free from salts, is squirted upon the tobacco leaves, so that they are thoroughly soaked, without dripping however. Rain water or distilled- Water is -most suitable for sprinkling or squirting purposes, because by this means any possible contamination of the tobacco by salts otherwise likely to be contained in the sprinkling water, and liable to remain in the tobacco in consequence of the frequent vaporization of the water is avoided.

In accordance with the force of the movement of the air, the degree of temperature and the humidity of the air the water will become vaporized more or less rapidly on the wetted tobacco leaves. Preferably care should be taken to prevent complete drying out of the tobacco leaves during the time of treatment, because they will then be more readily moistened without any dripping ofl of water in excess, and the sprinkling is therefore repeated immediately, as soon as the leaves have only become superficially dry. This treatment is continued until by making a test ofthe tobacco leaves under treatment a sufliciently low content of nicotine for the intended use has been ascertained. The denicotinization is eifected'the more rapidly, the greater is the proportion of water vaporized from the tobacco, and in the proportion of the frequency of sprinkling of the tobacco; on the other hand, by poor light or deficient irradiation the denicotinization is more slowly efiected.

The mode of operation of the new process may be explained, as follows :As a result of the slow evaporation of the water from the tobacco leaves at the open air and substantially assisted by the actinic action of broad day-light small amounts of oxidation products are continuously and automatically formed in a manner similar to what has been assumed to take place in the lawn bleaching process of linen and the like, and which probably consists of hydrogen-hyperoxid and ozone, substances which in the nascent state. in spite of their smallamount exhibit particularly strong oxidizing action. As long as the tobacco is thoroughly impregnated with water a large amount of the nicotine in the free state contained in the tobacco and of the nicotine in combination with organic acids is in solution in this water, and is readily oxidized by the continuously and automatically forming small quantities of hydrogen-hyperoxid and ozone in the nascent state. By practical tests and chemical investigations it has been ascertained that it is not necessary in this connection to use alkali for setting free the nicotine combined with organic acids in the tobacco leaves, the oxidation of the combined nicotine taking place just as quickly and reliably as the oxidation of the free nicotine, inasmuch as tobacco leaves sprinkled with dilute ammonia-water were not denicotinizedany more rapidly than the. tobacco leaves which have been treated with pure water only. This is a point of great importance, inasnuich as by this means the expense for procuring the alkali is saved, and on the other hand, the fibers of the tobacco leaves are protected against the always unavoidably occurring corroding action of the alkalis. The object to be attained by the process of the invention is fully and thoroughly accomplished in spite of the simple procedure.

Thus, to quote but one example, in the case of a German tobacco in the form of tobacco leaves with a content of nicotine of 2.3% and of very unpleasant andacrid taste in smoking a test made with a sample after having been sprinklednine times, showed a content of only 0.40% of nicotine, while the taste of the smoked tobacco of this treated lot was fully aromatic and considerably more pleasant and milder than before treatment. The same lot of tobacco being treated with five additional sprinklings showed a content of nicotine of only 0.13 per cent.

As compared with the processes heretofore known for the denicotinization of tobacco the new process according to my invention presents among other advantages the important feature that no expensive artificially produced chemicals are employed in the execution thereof, thus absolutely avoiding any possibility of con- Lamination of the denicotinized tobacco by foreign and possibly injurious admixtures. There is the further advantage that the procedure and the degree of denicotinization may be easily watched, so that it is possible to exactly adjust the tobacco to the desired low contents of nicotine, while moreover neither any aromatic tobacco oils nor other extractive and, othervaluable substances are removed from the tobacco by the treatment, so that the aroma and the burning capacity of the tobacco. that is to say its valuable propertiesare fully maintained. It has also been ascertained that there is the further advantage that in the case of some low grade kinds ,of tobacco simultaneously with the denicotinization the aromatic qualities are appreciably improved and the tobacco enoblcd by the oxidation of nauseating, and offensively smelling substances.

While I have described my invention with reference to what I consider the best way of carrying it into effect. it should be understood that the invention is capable of modifications and changes to suit existing conditions and the convenience of the user and operator, and without deviating from the spirit of the invention as pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

ll claim 1. The process of denicotinizing tobacco, which consists in exposing tobacco to fresh air and light. wetting it. with substantially pure water, free from salts to an extent to avoid dripping, and repeating the Wetting until the desired reduction in the contents of nicotine is attained. v

2. The process of deiiicotinizing tobacco, which COIISlStS in freely exposing tobacco to full day-light, bathing it on all sides With fresh air and while exposed, Wetting it with Substantially pure Water, free from salts to an extent to avoid dripping, and repeating the wetting before vaporization of the Water previously applied a sufiicient number of times, until the desired reduction of the vontents of nicotine is produced.

J OHANNES SARTIG. 

